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June 18th, 2013
Prospect Report
In wake of Gerrit Cole's miraculous perfect game, we're going to take the time to show you how the top prospects have been doing these first two and a half months, just in case you haven't been following yourselves.
1. Gerrit Cole, RHP
Might as well get this out of the way. Going into his start, Cole was a top-10 prospect in the league, thanks to his outstanding fastballs, and above average slider. Not to mention great velocity and movement.
However, his basic minor league stats might not have told you that. He had a 4.30 ERA and 1.46 WHIP through 37.2 innings in AA, and a 3.83 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP through 40 innings in AAA. His K/BB ratio was below average at 2.14 (75/35), despite the fact that his K/9 hovered just below 9.
Not everything was bleak though, including his HR/9 rate, which sat at about 0.90, nearly identical to current Pirates starter A.J. Burnett. He also only picked up a single loss this season. As mentioned numerous times, Cole already made his MLB debut, and seems to be here to stay. He profiles as a top of the rotation arm, and will hopefully will be part of the Pirates organization for the long haul.
2. Marco Kennedy, C
Born in Cuba, Marco and his mother came to the United States when he was fourteen to receive a better education and help work on his baseball skills. Both endeavors were successful, as he graduated high school with a 3.4 GPA and earned a full scholarship to defending champion LSU. After hitting an outrageous 81 home runs through three seasons, he was drafted 8th overall by the Pittsburgh in last years draft.
Kennedy currently possesses about 60 power and 45 contact, although he has the potential to reach 75 and 65, respectively. To go along with his bat, he has an above average arm, average fielding, but lackluster speed, even for a catcher.
Through 56 games in AAA, Kennedy has been solid. His .256 average is a bit lower than where the Pirates would like it, but his .835 OPS certainly makes up for it. The power is there, with 11 homers and a .217 ISO, both easily the best on the team. The fielding has been a nice surprise, with only three errors committed and a .994 fielding percentage. Kennedy has not attempted a single steal.
Kennedy could probably start for the Pirates now. However, a superior Russell Martin and his 1.7 million a year currently stands in the way. Until he gets moved, Kennedy will instead sharpen his skills in the minors to be ready for Opening Day next season. He looks like he'll be put right in the middle of that lineup, and help provide a nice foundation going forward.
3. Jameson Taillon, RHP
Drafted 2nd overall in the 2010 draft, Taillon was sandwiched between a couple kids you may have heard of, namely Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. He was the first pitcher off the board, ahead of guys such as Matt Harvey and Chris Sale. And while all those players are already making an impact, Taillon is still in the minors. But don't let that fool you, as he has the talent to compete with any of those guys.
Like Cole, his main strengths are his velocity and break. He can't quite reach the 97 and 98 that Cole can, but he can still hit 95 consistently with his 6'6" frame. His change and curve could both become plus pitches, although odds are he'll just focus on improving one.
He's performed adequately so far in AAA, posting a 3-3 record with a 3.26 ERA through 91 innings of work. He's shown good control with a 2.89 (89/28) K/BB ratio. He's been dominant against lefties, limiting them to a .203 average, but righties have been hitting .270 despite Taillon having 15 more strikeouts against them. His 1.23 WHIP could use some improvement, but his ability to limit home runs (just 10 so far this season) has helped lessen the damage.
Barring multiple injures to the major league staff, Taillon looks to stay in the minors for the rest of this year. He'll likely replace Rodriguez or Burnett next season in the rotation, and should provide a one-two punch with Cole for years to come.
4. Gregory Polanco, CF
Currently the fourth best outfield prospect, Polanco hasn't really shown that on the field this season. He has a respectable average of .270, but he's only gone yard 2 times, and has only swiped 3 bags. His fielding percentage hovers around .970, and he has a BB/K ratio of .406.
After seeming to break out last season, Polanco has disappointed so far in 2013. And with Andrew McCutchen holding down the center field spot long-term, Polanco doesn't have much of a spot. He will be a guy to watch at the deadline if the Pirates don't see a future spot for him.
5. Alen Hanson, SS
As the Pirates top shortstop prospect, Hanson should take over the position in a few years, an area where the Pirates have been very weak. Hanson's biggest strength is his speed. Through just 58 games, he already has 18 steals and a .857 percentage. His fielding is pretty average for a shortstop, although his arm has been erratic at times.
His bat has been pretty underwhelming, putting up a .256 average, just 3 home runs, and 54 strikeouts. His power is expected to stay fairly low, maybe allowing him to hit 10 bombs a year. But his contact should hopefully increase to maybe being a .285 hitter at the big league level.
With Clint Barmes and John McDonald handling the shortstop duties, Hanson will probably be called up sooner rather than later. A mid 2014 call-up wouldn't be surprising, but I don't believe the Pirates will wait any longer than Opening Day in 2015 to being him up for good.
6. Maximilian Webster, 3B
Signed out of England in early 2011, Webster has finally made it onto the field. After be forced to stay with his English independent league team for all of 2011 and 2012, he was finally let out of his contract and allowed to joined the Pirates farm system.
In his first season in the States, Webster has really shined. The first thing you notice is his tremendous plat discipline. He currently has more walks (40) than strikeouts (36), a rare feat. He boasts a slash-line of .300/.404/.408, but only has 3 home runs to his name. He has great speed, with 16 steals this season. That puts him tied for fifth with Byron Buxton, the best prospect in baseball.
Pedro Alvarez is currently manning the hot corner for the Pirates, and it remains to be seen if Webster will usurp him. Alvarez still strikes out at an absurd pace, but his average is much improved and his power is still there. If the Pirates do choose Alvarez has the solution at third, Webster could be flipped for a pretty penny on the market.
7. Luis Heredia, RHP
It's been a rough season so far for Heredia. He, like Cole and Taillon is a righty who relies on velocity and movement. But his season has been significantly worse than the other two. Through just 8 starts, he sported a 7.82 ERA and a 2.08 WHIP. His K/BB ratio is about 1.125 (27/24), and he's giving up a .344 average.
As if things weren't going bad enough, Heredia tore his groin on May 10th, and isn't expected to return until the beginning of July. Once he returns, he may go down to A to work on improving, but I will depend on how the Curve's pitching staff is doing.
8. Marcus Gonzalez, 1B
The Pirates first selection in the draft two weeks ago, Gonzalez might be able to contribute to the big league club as soon as Opening Day! One of the most talented players in the draft, Gonzalez feel to 13th due to concerns he would go to UNC instead. But he was convinced to go pro after Pittsburgh offered him nearly a million dollars over three years.
Gonzalez already has a major league ready bat, good at both power and contact. Although, he might benefit from taking the time to improve his discipline at the plate. It isn't bad, it's just not up to par with the rest of his abilities. His fielding is mediocre, but his arm is above average for first baseman.
Surprisingly enough, Gonzalez's best trait is his base running, rare for a first baseman. His speed compares favorably to pre-injury Corey Hart, but his base running ability draws comparisons to some of the best base stealers in the league, such as Jacoby Ellsbury and Evreth Cabrera. His combination of hitting and speed could let managers be flexible in where they want to place him in the order.
As mentioned earlier, Gonzalez could realistically start the 2014 season on the 25-man roster. There have been rumors though, that with Gonzalez might change positions, possibly to a corner outfield spot. As such, he would likely need a year in the minors to improve his fielding and master the position. It's just a rumor at this point, as the Pirates have not made an official announcement.
9. Josh Bell, RF
The best OF prospect in the 2011 draft, Bell fell to the end of the second round due to his strong commitment to Texas University. But the Pirates paid a steep price, convincing him to said for a five million signing bonus. But since then, his career has been riddled by injuries.
He didn't play during the 2011 season, due to being a late sign. He started off 2012 fairly well, but on April 26th, he tore his meniscus and missed the rest of the season. The 2013 started well, as Bell had a .286 average, 4 steals, and a pair of home runs through 133 at bats. Then on May 23rd, he broke his ankle, and was set to be out for over two months. Bell still has about six more weeks left before he returns.
10. Carlos Tejeda, LF
The Pirates second round pick in 2013, Tejeda is another Pirates prospect who is bound to make his living based on his bat. Both his contact and plate discipline are polished, but that may be it. He should develop decent power in the minors, but it's not a guarantee.
His fielding and base running are fairly horrid for an outfielder, creating even more speculation that he and Marcus Gonzalez could switch positions in the minors. Tejeda would theoretically move to first base, a position where his lack of fielding and speed would less detrimental.
And in other news...
Inge Returns to Tigers
The Pirates and Tigers struck a deal today that sends former Tiger 3B Brandon Inge and LF Jose Tabata to Detroit in exchange for RP Al Alburquerque.
Inge was DFA to make room for rookie Gerrit Cole. Inge was the backup 3B for the Pirates, and will likely be the same for the Tigers, who had absolutely no depth behind Cabrera. Through 133 AB, Inge hit .263 with 5 homers. He has also been perfect on defense, not committing an error so far this season.
Also heading for Detroit is outfielder Jose Tabata. In 221 AB, Tabata hit .262, stole just 5 bases, and had 1 homer. Acquired from the Yankees in 2008 as part of the Xavier Nady deal. He was expected to be the Left Fielder of the future, but injuries and just plain ineffectiveness have been struggles. The Pirates have clearly moved on, as they called up Starling Marte to be the starter and lead-off man.
Al Alburquerque is who the Pirates receive in return, and looks to try and help a struggling bullpen currently ranked 28th in the league. After two sparkling seasons, Alburquerque has been underwhelming this season with his 6.52 ERA. He has the stuff to be a stud, but he suffers from control problems and a high amount of walks.
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PowerPro Jr wrote: Zumikaku wrote: ...and a bag of Skittles having a conversation. Are you saying it's wrong to talk to a bag of Skittles? Because if so, I'm going to need to rethink a lot of things.  BrewersFuzz wrote: Powerprosfan31 wrote: What do twelve year olds do with girlfriends? Give them ringpops and let them cut up to their spot in line during lunch.
Dishnetkid is a heretic who must be burned
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I meant his skill rankings, silly.